EAGLES: Vick, Foles in healthy competition' for starting QB spot

PHILADELPHIA – Michael Vick took the field first with the starting offense in 11-on-11 team drills at Eagles training camp Friday but the repetitions with Nick Foles were divided fairly equally.

The unofficial breakdown in the competition for the starting quarterback job found Vick getting a few more snaps on the afternoon. Head coach Chip Kelly attributed the modest differences in count to differences in situations. If the offense is driving, for example, they might stay on the field longer.

“It’s a healthy competition,” Kelly said. “They’re both pulling for each other. They know at any moment, if one guy’s named the starter, the other guy better be ready to go. He’s a chinstrap away from going in. They still have to both prepare, and all of them have to prepare like they’re going to be the starter because you don’t know how it’s going to shake itself out … Those guys have really embraced it. That’s what makes those guys special. It’s a fun thing to watch.”

“Until we put full pads on and those guys are live, we’re not going to find that out,” Kelly said. “So we’re not going to make any decisions that are going to be based on practice in the NovaCare. We need to get into Lincoln and have people tee off on them and go after them.”

* * *Kelly deferred the injury report to Eagles media relations chief Derek Boyko, who reported a left knee issue for wide receiver Aurelius Benn and a cramp in the right hamstring of cornerback Cary Williams.

Williams said he would be OK in a few days. Benn was scheduled to undergo a more thorough evaluation.

Newly claimed running back William Powell flunked his physical and was released by the Eagles Friday.

That proved to be a reprieve for rookie running back Matthew Tucker, who flunked his first conditioning test.

Tucker and punter Brad Wing, who also failed his first test, were activated from the non-football injury list after passing the next one.

* * *Kelly praised wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who made a handful of solid catches including one in which he hauled in a Foles pass while tumbling past a defender.

“One thing about DeSean that I’m most impressed with is how he came back in shape,” Kelly said. “He did great in the conditioning test. It proves to me he spent a lot of time this summer investing in himself. That’s what we talked about before I left. We said the sky’s the limit for him, and he could be a real special player in this league, but he’s got to make that decision that he wants to be.”

Kelly said he and coaching staff tell Jackson and the players “to be like super balls, not tomatoes.

“The super ball bounces all the time,” Kelly said, dating himself. “He’s the ultimate super ball. He bounces all around the field. You watch the looks he did just making our punt team better by fielding kicks back there and letting them learn how to cover it.”

* * *Jackson was the first man up on the punt return unit.

The Eagles are using yet another teaching aid in a bid to help their returners hold onto the football … tennis balls.

The returners hold a tennis ball in each hand while catching punts.

“Just trying to teach them to catch the ball with their body and not their hands all the time because sometimes you can’t get the ball in proper position if you’re always just reaching to grab with your hands,” Kelly said. “Just like using a weighted bat in baseball, trying to get a feel for doing it the right way. They’ll catch a couple without them so they know they’re in a proper position from a fundamental standpoint, and then you take the ball away.”

NOTESThe Eagles practice today at the NovaCare Complex is by invitation only … The Sunday practice at the Linc is open although the free ticket allotment is basically gone.